Belfast's conservative licensing laws have put the MTV music awards in doubt, it has emerged.

The city had been in line to host the awards in November, with many international rock and pop acts due to visit Northern Ireland.

The awards were to be held in the Odyssey arena with plans to hold the all-night party in the nearby Pavilion bars.

But organisers have been told that Belfast bars cannot sell alcohol after midnight on Sunday.

When told the news, the organisers wrote an e-mail to a Belfast officials saying: "Shutting the bars … isn't an option and would create enormous problems for the MTV." This has prompted calls by the licensing trade for opening hours in Northern Ireland to be liberalised.

The licensing trade said the law should be changed to allow more flexible opening times around major one-off festivals or events.

Belfast city council and the Northern Ireland tourist board between them are paying more than £500,000 towards staging the event.

One possible compromise being examined is for a private party for the stars to be held in the former Harland and Wolff paint hall elsewhere in the Titanic quarter.